President Rodrigo Duterte has granted "absolute pardon" to a U.S. Marine who was jailed in the Philippines for five years over the killing of a Filipina transgender, his chief diplomat said Monday on Twitter.
Before the President's decision, Lance Corporal Joseph Scott Pemberton secured approval from an Olongapo City court to grant him early release after serving just half his sentence for homicide. Pemberto admitted to killing Filipina Jennifer Laude at a motel in October 2014.
Laude's case tested the criminal jurisdiction provision in the Visting Forces Agreement, which critics said heavily favored U.S. troops. As per the VFA, Pemberton served time at Camp Aguinaldo, instead of an Olongapo City jail cell.
"Cutting matters short over what constitutes time served, and since where he was detained was not in the prisoner’s control—and to do justice—the President has granted an absolute pardon to Pemberton. Here at the Palace," Foreign Affairs Sec. Teddy Locsin Jr. said on Twitter.
More: U.S. Marine Who Killed 'Ganda' Wants Early Release From Jail Renewing Furor Over VFA
This story originally appeared on Reportr.World. Minor edits have been made by Esquiremag.ph editors.
